Children’s Ezine Guardian Angel Kids: The Human Body – March 2012 Issue

Children’s Ezine Guardian Angel Kids: The Human Body – March 2012 Issue

Welcome to the March 2012 issue of Guardian Angel Kids Ezine (GAK). This month our theme for GAK is The Human Body.  Check it out here.

Did you know that you lose 60 – 100 strands of hair every day? Or that fingernails grow nearly four times faster than toenails? The distance around the earth is 25,000 miles. If you measured the length of all of a child's blood vessels, the total would be 60,000 miles. In an adult, it would be 100,000 miles or nearly four times the distance around the earth.

And that bothersome earwax that seems to build up so frequently? It protects the delicate inner ear. Our bodies are indeed complex and amazing.

Come explore the world of "The Human Body" through featured books, poetry, activities, engaging stories, and articles www.guardian-angel-kids.com.

Letter from the POETRY EDITOR: Donna J. Shepherd

Featured BookS:

Muscles Make Us Move: The Sum of Our Parts Series - Flip Book by Bill Kirk & Artist Eugene Ruble

Human Anatomy Video by Dejan Kober

Children’S poetry, ACTIVITIES, SHORT STORIES, and articleS:

In the Bone Zone by Bill Kirk – learn about the skeleton through this amusing poem.

Games and Activities to Teach the Human Body by Kathy Stemke – games and activities that require whole body participation will attract children’s imaginations.

If I Have to be Normal by Juliana Jones and illustrated by Clara Batton Smith – finding a healthy balance even if you don’t follow the “normal” way.
Listen Up! by Laura Thomas and illustrated by Jack Foster – school girl Jasmine discovers the hard way why we are created with two ears and just one mouth.

Excuse Me, I Burped! by Layne Fleming – you open your mouth to speak and out comes a burp. You’re embarrassed. You wonder why you burped.

Read Aloud Tips and Strategies: How Educators and Parents Can Sustain Interest by Dorit Sasson – both educators and parents play a strong role in ensuring young readers are engaged during read aloud time.

Visit Guardian Angel Kid today and www.guardian-angel-kids.com and enjoy a child safe and ad free Ezine.

We also invite you to stay connected with Guardian Angel Kids through our Facebook Fan Page http://www.facebook.com/pages/Guardian-Angel-Kids-Ezine/163785080346247.

Please feel free to drop Editor-in-Chief, Donna McDine an email at submissions@guardian-angel-kids.com and let them know what you think of Guardian Angel Kids and what you'd like to see in the future. They aim to please.

The Guardian Angel Kids Ezine staff and contributors look forward to your visit. Thank you for your time and interest.

Moving Through all Seven Days link:http://www.lulu.com/content/e-book/moving-through-all-seven-days/7386965# http://www.helium.com/users/406242.html http://www.associatedcontent.com/user/237923/Kathy_stemke_dancekam.html Follow me on twitter: http://twitter.com/kathystemke Follow me on Facebook:http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=6147172660&topic=4910#!/kathymarescomatthews.stemke?ref=profile Follow me on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/pub/kathy-stemke/13/269/285

Tips for Nurturing Reading in Young Children

by Kathy Stemke

Reading is a fundamental lifetime skill that will bring a child immeasurable enjoyment over the years. By singing, talking, reciting rhymes and reading to young children we help their brains to form the links that are essential to learning all language skills. In fact, it is in the
first three years, when the brain grows to 90% of its adult weight that children have the greatest capacity to learn to read.

During this time it is important to form the habit of reading daily to your children. Be dramatic and animated to hold their attention. Use unique and funny voices for each character.

Point to the words you read so that your child associates the pictures and sounds of the book with the letters on each page. Sound out a few simple words. As you read, point out the similarities in the words. Act amazed, as if you found a beautiful jewel. Enthusiasm is contagious.

If you make reading a priority, children will consider it important as well. Create a warm, cozy corner of their room just for reading. Include a bookcase full of great fiction and nonfiction books as well as periodicals. Decorate this corner with pictures that they draw of the books they read. You could even make a caterpillar and add a segment each month
with the book titles they read that month.

Be aware of reading levels and choose books with appropriate levels for your child. One of the biggest turn-offs for children is the frustration they feel when they struggle to read a book which is above their level of reading.

Children feel so grownup when they get mail. Why not sign them up for an age appropriate magazine that comes in the mail monthly.

"O Say Can You Say" by Dr. Seuss teaches a child the silliness of words and rhymes. As you falter over the words, do it with laughter so children will learn that if you read a word incorrectly, it's not time to quit.

Keeping children engaged in the stories, and including fun activities in their reading experience are also important keys to nurturing a love of reading in young children.

Since play is how children learn, play with letters, sounds and words. Play games with sight words too. For instance, draw a road with sight words printed on it. Use a toy car to drive to each word. Have them repeat the word after you so they can drive on to the finish line. Give them an award. When children master many sight words, reading becomes easier.

Use puppets to create interest. Make your own puppets inexpensively. Buy stuffed animals at a thrift store or yard sale, remove some stuffing and add a sock to the inside. Allow the child to act out the story with the puppet.

Take a trip to the local library. Get involved in a story time for children. The librarians introduce fun games and activities associated with books. Encourage your child to explore the children's section of the library.

Make personalized books. Allowing children to become the main character or a hero in the book will definitely keep them hooked to it. Photograph them during their daily activities and create a wordless book. Foster creativity by permitting them to tell their own story.

Make books on fruits and vegetables. Plan a trip to the supermarket. Have your child take pictures of different fruits and vegetables. Children love to touch, feel and smell the different fruits and vegetables. They can also compare the size and weight.

There are an infinite number of ways that you can make books come alive for young children. Once they get the book bug, they will always want to read.



Moving Through all Seven Days link:
http://www.lulu.com/content/e-book/moving-through-all-seven-days/7386965# http://www.helium.com/users/406242.html http://www.associatedcontent.com/user/237923/Kathy_stemke_dancekam.html Follow me on twitter: http://twitter.com/kathystemke Follow me on Facebook:http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=6147172660&topic=4910#!/kathymarescomatthews.stemke?ref=profile Follow me on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/pub/kathy-stemke/13/269/285

Winter Animals: Activities and Songs!

Baby Polar Bear Song
tune: Baby Bumblebee

I’m swimming with a baby polar bear,

Hear my mommy shout, "watch out, beware!”

I’m swimming with a baby polar bear,

(Swim in a designated space without touching anyone else)

Ouch! It tripped me!
(freeze and touch the ground)


I’m running with a baby polar bear,

Hear my mommy shout, "watch out, beware!”

I’m running with a baby polar bear,

(Run in a designated space without touching anyone else)

Ouch! It tripped me!

(freeze and touch the ground)

I’m jumping with a baby polar bear,

Hear my mommy shout, "watch out, beware!”

I’m jumping with a baby polar bear,

(Jump in a designated space without touching anyone else)

Ouch! It tripped me!

(freeze and touch the ground)

I’m sleeping with a baby polar bear,

Hear my mommy shout, "watch out, beware!”

I’m sleeping with a baby polar bear,

(Yawn, stretch and walk to the middle)

Now my mommy won’t be mad at me!

(All cuddle together to sleep)

Polar Bear Ice Game

Information:

Polar bears loom large on the ice cold tundra, with some males reaching 10 feet tall when standing upright. This animal is classified as a threatened species. Polar bears do not hibernate like other bears. However, females build dens to give birth and “hole up” with their newborn cubs. During this time, their bodily functions slow down in a process scientists call “winter sleep,” but the bears can be easily awakened. Polar bears eat an almost exclusively carnivorous diet of seals. They enjoy a semi-aquatic lifestyle, and have the largest home range of any land mammal. Living in the tundra, polar bears have 2-4 inches of blubber (from your thumb to your

index finger) to keep them from starving and to keep them warm. The blubber also helps them float in the water. Their fur is made of clear hollow tubes, which stick together when wet, and are waterproof. Their skin is black, which absorbs the heat of the sun. Beware, polar bears will attack humans.

*Create 8 irregular chunks of sea ice out of poster board to jump on. On one side, write a yes or no polar bear statement. On the other side write yes or no accordingly like the following:

Polar bears live in the cold tundra. YES

Polar bears hibernate like other bears. NO

Females “hole up” with their cubs and are easily awakened. YES

Polar bears are great swimmers. YES

The polar bear’s blubber makes them sink. NO

 Blubber helps them float.

The polar bear’s skin is white, which absorbs the heat of the sun. NO

Their skin is black, absorbs the heat of the sun and keeps them warm.

Polar bears might attack humans. YES

Polar bears are a threatened species. YES

*Create a seal out of poster board.

*Line the ice up in a zigzag fashion with the statement visible. Put the seal at the end of

the line.

*If the child answers correctly they get to jump on the ice chunks until they reach the

seal and have supper.

*If they can’t answer the question they go to the end of the line and try again.

*If the answer is NO and they can correct the answer they get to jump two ice chunks!

*To vary the game, have the children hop or jump backwards.

*If you have an adult helper, split the class into two equal teams. The team who gets all

their members to the seal first wins.

SNOWFLAKE STREAMERS

Each child cuts 4 small snowflakes from folded paper. Staple (4) 12” lengths of ribbon

onto the top of a 6” dowel or straw. Staple a paper snowflake on the end of each ribbon. Use these snowflakes for the following song. 

 Winter Snow Song

Tune:
Wheels on the Bus

The snow from the clouds falls down on me,

(lift snowflakes up and down)

down on me, down on me,

The snow from the clouds falls down on me,
All around the town.
Verses:
The snow in the air whirls all around

(turn around)

The snow on the ground goes swish, swish, swish

(move flakes side to side)

The kids in the street jump in the snow,

(jump)

The kids in the street slide in the snow
(slide)


Kathy Stemke's websites:
Moving Through all Seven Days link:http://www.lulu.com/content/e-book/moving-through-all-seven-days/7386965# http://www.helium.com/users/406242.html http://www.associatedcontent.com/user/237923/Kathy_stemke_dancekam.html Follow me on twitter: http://twitter.com/kathystemke Follow me on Facebook:http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=6147172660&topic=4910#!/kathymarescomatthews.stemke?ref=profile Follow me on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/pub/kathy-stemke/13/269/285

There are zillions of books for kids about holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas, but not nearly as many about Earth Day. Trouble on Earth Day by Kathi Stemke not only fills that void, it's also a delightful picture book that will encourage children to appreciate and care for our environment all year long.
The pictures and plot are cute and young kids will enjoy hearing the book read aloud to them. Older children can read it themselves and participate in the many educational activities suggested. This would be a great book to add to school libraries as well as for families.

Reviewed by
Janet Collins
Children's author

This is a fun story told from a squirrel's point of view on ways to celebrate Earth Day.

It is chock full of recycling crafts to empower children to make a difference in their world.
I liked the nylon sachets and the CD picture frames/ornaments!

Patricia Karwatowicz
Children's author

Kathy Stemke's websites:
Moving Through all Seven Days link:http://www.lulu.com/content/e-book/moving-through-all-seven-days/7386965# http://www.helium.com/users/406242.html http://www.associatedcontent.com/user/237923/Kathy_stemke_dancekam.html Follow me on twitter: http://twitter.com/kathystemke Follow me on Facebook:http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=6147172660&topic=4910#!/kathymarescomatthews.stemke?ref=profile Follow me on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/pub/kathy-stemke/13/269/285

Trouble on Earth Day has been Released!

http://www.amazon.com/Trouble-Earthday-Kathy-Stemke/dp/1936021366/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1315388502&sr=1-3

Paperback: 44 pages

Publisher: Wild Plains Press (September 30, 2011)

Language: English

ISBN-10: 1936021366

ISBN-13: 978-1936021369

Product Dimensions: 11 x 8.5 x 0.1 inches

Shipping Weight: 4.5 ounces

When Shelby wins a first place ribbon for her Earth Day poster, she gets her parents involved with recycling items in their home and then befriends a bluebird - helping him rebuild his home with recycled items.

 

This colorful picture book will facilitate dialog between parents, teachers, and children about conserving the Earth's natural resources and the 22 page activity section includes comprehension questions and easy to learn songs, as well as enjoyable worksheets, games, and compound word activities.

Included discussions about trees, birds, and recycling materials provide everything that home-schooling parents and other educators need in order to pass on knowledge about caring for the environment and teach environmental responsibility.

Moving Through all Seven Days link:http://www.lulu.com/content/e-book/moving-through-all-seven-days/7386965# http://www.helium.com/users/406242.html http://www.associatedcontent.com/user/237923/Kathy_stemke_dancekam.html Follow me on twitter: http://twitter.com/kathystemke Follow me on Facebook:http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=6147172660&topic=4910#!/kathymarescomatthews.stemke?ref=profile Follow me on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/pub/kathy-stemke/13/269/285

“B” IS FOR BLOGGING FOR KIDS: ROBERT MEDAK

Robert Medak wears many hats very well. He is a freelance writer, editor, book reviewer, and aspiring author. Robert has written or ghost written over 350 articles and 80 book reviews.

Robert created a course for writers at Writers’ Village University (WVU), which he facilitated. He also facilitated other courses at WVU, and helped establish a Creative Writing Workshop at WVU.

Robert is working on a book about breaking into freelance writing.

Robert built a website where he offers his services, and maintains five blogs. Today we are going to feature his kids blog which features animals. Here are some excerpts from http://kidsandanimals.wordpress.com/

Is your dog or cat left-handed? Just like humans, cats and dogs can be either left or right-handed. Did you know that? Not many people do. This could be a chance for you to learn more about your pet. Take a toy and see which paw they use to play with it. Do they use one paw more than the other?



As you interact with your pet, you will be building a greater bond and learning more about the animal family member in the process.


Pets are also like humans in other ways besides preferring one hand over the other. Pets need stimulation to be healthy emotionally. They also need exercise for healthy muscles. Good food and water is only a small portion of what everyone needs, including your furry family members.

KATHY: MY DOG, LUCY IS RIGHT HANDED.

Fun and learning sites about mammals. Is your dog or cat a mammal?
All About mammals: http://www.kidzone.ws/animals/mammals.htm
Learn about Pennsylvania Mammals http://www.pawildlife.org/learn.html
Mammals – Kids science videos, lessons, quizzes and games for K-12 grade school kids that make learning fun and interesting: http://www.neok12.com/Mammals.htm

14 Top human foods toxic to animals:
Alcohol, Coffee Grinds, Beans, and Tea, Broccoli, Chocolate, Fatty Foods, Garlic, Grapes, Macadamia Nuts and other nuts, Onions, Raisins, Sugary Foods, Sweeteners, The Pits and Rinds of Fruits, Yeast Dough.


Roberts other blogs and websites:
Writing & More is my business: http://stormywriter.com
freelance writing: http://rjmedak.wordpress.com/
writing: http://rjmedak.blogspot.com/
Book review blog: http://rjmbookreviews.blogspot.com/


KATHY STEMKE'S WEBSITES:
Moving Through all Seven Days link:http://www.lulu.com/content/e-book/moving-through-all-seven-days/7386965# http://www.helium.com/users/406242.html http://www.associatedcontent.com/user/237923/Kathy_stemke_dancekam.html
Follow me on twitter: http://twitter.com/kathystemke
Follow me on Facebook:http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=6147172660&topic=4910#!/kathymarescomatthews.stemke?ref=profile
 Follow me on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/pub/kathy-stemke/13/269/285
 

50 Amazing Blogs for Elementary Educators

We made it!  We're in the top 50 blogs for elementary education!  Check out this post for other Great blogs mentioned in the article.  http://www.toponlinecolleges.com/blog/2010/50-amazing-blogs-for-elementary-educators/

Moving Through all Seven Days link:http://www.lulu.com/content/e-book/moving-through-all-seven-days/7386965#http://www.helium.com/users/406242.html http://www.associatedcontent.com/user/237923/Kathy_stemke_dancekam.html http://kathystemke.weebly.com
Follow me on twitter: http://twitter.com/kathystemke
Follow me on Facebook:http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=6147172660&topic=4910#!/kathymarescomatthews.stemke?ref=profile

SIGN UP FOR MY FREE MONTHLY "MOVEMENT AND RHYTHM NEWSLETTER"

TAKE A LOOK AT SOME SAMPLE ACTIVITIES THAT YOU WILL FIND IN MY NEWSLETTER !

Feed My Letter Monsters Sounds!

They're sooo..... Hungry! 

 

HOW DOES WIND MOVE? 

Make a pinwheel & explore!

How does wind move objects? How can my body move objects? This fitness and science exploration asks open-ended questions to help preschoolers discover answers on their own. Preschoolers will run, jump and twirl to stay active as they use simple science tools to investigate wind and movement.

To explain one reason wind changes direction, have each child put a piece of paper in front of his mouth.   Blow like the wind and watch the paper move.  Did the wind go through the paper?  No.  It went up over the paper or out to the side around the paper.  

Imagine the paper is a mountain.  Will the mountain move like the paper did?  No.  The wind can’t go through it so it has to go up and over the mountain.

FEATHER GAME

Pair you children off and give them a feather. Tell them to try to keep the feather in the air by blowing it. Explain that the air they are blowing out of their mouth is like the wind outside.

WINDY BOOKS!

When the Wind Stops

by Charlotte Zolotow 

Feel the Wind

by Arthur Dorros  

The Life of a Leaf 

You are a tiny leaf bud on a tree.  In the spring you grow into a small leaf.  When the rain falls down you grow into a big leaf.  You twist and turn all summer to find the sun.  With all your leaf friends you make an umbrella of shade (kids can clump together) to keep people cool.  Now slide away to your own space.

 

One day it gets cool and you tremble slowly.  You better hold on to your branch tightly.  Because it’s so cold, you turn into a bright orange leaf.  The wind lifts you up and down.  The wind rocks you side to side.  It gets colder every day so you shake.  You shake faster and faster.   You twist and spin and hold on to the branch with all your strength.  

Suddenly you can’t hold on, so you fly around the yard.  You love being free so you dance.  Now bounce up as high as you can.   Slide low under a bush.  Now hop as fast as you can.  Stop and reach to the sky.  A gust of wind pushes you into a whirl.  

You land in the stream, and float slowly down the hill.  You’re getting tired so you hug a giant rock.  The water is pushing against you.  Climb up to the top of the rock.  Balance on one part of you.  You wave to your friends on the tree.  You want to get back so you leap as far as you can.  You fall into the stream and dive deep.  You swim then pop up for some air.  At last you rest on the shore.  You pick up your head when you hear your friend Doug.  You laugh out loud to see all your friends come together again.

KATHY STEMKE'S WEBSITES:

Moving Through all Seven Days link:http://www.lulu.com/content/e-book/moving-through-all-seven-days/7386965#http://www.helium.com/users/406242.html http://www.associatedcontent.com/user/237923/Kathy_stemke_dancekam.html http://kathystemke.weebly.com
Follow me on twitter: http://twitter.com/kathystemke
Follow me on Facebook:http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=6147172660&topic=4910#!/kathymarescomatthews.stemke?ref=profile
 

BUG SONGS AND POEMS PART II

Fireflies in Flight
(Tune of "Camptown Races")

Fireflies come out at night.
Blink, blink. Blink, blink.
Showing off their little lights
In the summer sky!

Can you see them glow?
Flying to and fro,
Fireflies come out at night
In the summer sky!

The Little Caterpillars

Ten little caterpillars crawled up on the vine.
One slipped off, and then there were ______.

Nine little caterpillars sat upon the gate.
One hid behind the latch, and then there were ______.

Eight little caterpillars are on their way to heaven.
One went to find a leaf, and then there were ______.

Seven little caterpillars tried to find some sticks.
One went behind a bush, and then there were______.

Six little caterpillars crawled down the drive.
One skittled far away, and then there were ______.

Five little caterpillars were creeping as before.
One slipped inside a crack, and then there were______.

Four little caterpillars climbed up a tree.
One hid behind some bark, and then there were ______.

Three little caterpillars found leaves that were new.
One crawled far away and then there were______.

Two little caterpillars were snoozing in the sun.
One woke and ran away, and then there was______.

The Bugs on the Go
(Tune: "The Wheels on the Bus")

The small honeybees go buzz-buzz-buzz,
Buzz-buzz-buzz,buzz-buzz-buzz.
The small honeybees go buzz-buzz-buzz,
All day long.

The crickets in the grass go hop-hop-hop,
Hop-hop-hop, hop-hop-hop.
The crickets in the grass go hop-hop-hop,
All day long.

The slow caterpillars go munch-munch-munch,
Munch-munch-munch, munch-munch-munch.
The slow caterpillars go munch-munch-munch,
All day long.

The big black spiders go creep-creep-creep,
Creep-creep-creep, creep-creep-creep,
The big black spiders go creep-creep-creep,
All day long.

Do you like to Buzz?
(Tune: Do Your Ears Hang Low)

Do you like to buzz.
Are you covered all in fuzz?
Do you call a hive a home
In the garden where you roam?
Do you know how to make honey,
Are your stripes a little funny?
Do you like to buzz?

The Fuzzy Caterpillar
(Tune:Itsy Bitsy Spider)

The fuzzy caterpillar
curled up on a leaf,
Spun her little cocoon
and then fell fast asleep.
While she was sleeping,
she dreamed that she could fly
And later when she woke up
She was a butterfly!

BEE SONG
(Sung to: She'll Be comin' Round the Mountain)

They'll be flying 'round the flowers in the yard. Buzz buzz. (flap hands)
They'll be flying 'round the flowers in the yard. Buzz buzz.
They'll be flying 'round the flowers; they'll be flying 'round the flowers;
They'll be flying 'round they flowers in the yard.

More verses:

They'll be slurping up the nectar when they come. Gulp! Gulp! (pretend to swallow)
They'll be scooping up the pollen with their legs. Fun! Fun! (Stomp twice)
They'll be feeding all the babies in the hive. Eat! Eat! (pretend to rock baby)
They'll be cooling down the hive with their wings. Flap! Flap! (flap arms)
They'll be making lots of honey that we'll eat. Yum! Yum! (rub tummy)

KATHY STEMKE:
Moving Through all Seven Days link:http://www.lulu.com/content/e-book/moving-through-all-seven-days/7386965#http://www.helium.com/users/406242.htmlhttp://www.associatedcontent.com/user/237923/Kathy_stemke_dancekam.htmlhttp://kathystemke.weebly.comFollow me on twitter: http://twitter.com/kathystemkeFollow me on Facebook:http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=6147172660&topic=4910#!/kathymarescomatthews.stemke?ref=profile

HeliumMath games for the elementary school classroom

******************************************************************************Kathy's websites:
Moving Through all Seven Days link:http://www.lulu.com/content/e-book/moving-through-all-seven-days/7386965#http://www.helium.com/users/406242.html
http://www.associatedcontent.com/user/237923/Kathy_stemke_dancekam.html
http://kathystemke.weebly.com

HeliumWaldorf techniques for mastering math facts with body movements that any teacher can use

Kathy's websites:
Moving Through all Seven Days link:http://www.lulu.com/content/e-book/moving-through-all-seven-days/7386965#http://www.helium.com/users/406242.html
http://www.associatedcontent.com/user/237923/Kathy_stemke_dancekam.html
http://kathystemke.weebly.com

SUPER POWERPOINT GAMES CAN BE ADAPTED TO YOUR NEEDS!

This is an easy site to use. Adapt your subject and grade level questions and answers to Jeapardy like games! Kids will want to play these games for hours. You can change the questions as often as you want. Have fun.

http://www.lexington1.net/technology/?page=instruct/powerpoint.htm#games

Kathy Stemke's websites:
Moving Through all Seven Days link:http://www.lulu.com/content/e-book/moving-through-all-seven-days/7386965#http://www.helium.com/users/406242.html
http://www.associatedcontent.com/user/237923/Kathy_stemke_dancekam.html
http://kathystemke.weebly.com

Homeschool Money Unit

HeliumHomeschool unit study - beginning money and economics

Moving Through all Seven Days link:http://www.lulu.com/content/e-book/moving-through-all-seven-days/7386965#http://www.helium.com/users/406242.html
http://www.associatedcontent.com/user/237923/Kathy_stemke_dancekam.html
http://kathystemke.weebly.com

GREAT NEW GAME TO PRACTICE MULTIPLICATION FACTS!

If your child likes games or likes the computer, he/she will love to practice their multiplication facts with this new game. A cute robot mouse takes you into different worlds and over hazards to get to the right multiplication answer.


CLICK ON THIS LINK TO TRY A FREE DEMO!
www.arithmemouse.com?xyz=12

Moving Through all Seven Days link:http://www.lulu.com/content/e-book/moving-through-all-seven-days/7386965#http://www.helium.com/users/406242.html
http://www.associatedcontent.com/user/237923/Kathy_stemke_dancekam.html
http://kathystemke.weebly.com

What Others Are Saying About "MOVING THROUGH ALL SEVEN DAYS" by Kathy Ann Stemke

We are very close to publishing Moving Through All Seven Days. Review copies have been sent out and the reviews are pouring in. The following reviews are a sample of what others are saying about this exciting new book with teacher resources.

Kathy Stemke’s Moving through All Seven Days offers a multifaceted approach to movement in the classroom that also offers a healthy dose of the language arts!

Rae Pica
Education Consultant
Early Childhood Physical Activity

www.movingandlearning.com
www.bamradionetwork.com

Moving Through All Seven Days is a wonderful way to teach young children the days of the week. The days move forward with playful activities, "Slipping, sliding, spin and play, Fun on Sunday, that's the way."

Reading and exercise – what a combination! With bold and colorful illustrations it is sure to hold any child’s attention.

As an added feature, Moving Through All Seven Days includes an activity and learning section with: in class activities, spelling the days of the week, rhyming words, coloring pages and more. This is sure to be a hit in any preschool or lower grade classroom.
Moving Through All Seven Days is also a great way to teach the days of the week to your own little ones before they start school. I’ll be reading it to my 3-year-old grandson!

Karen Cioffi
Co-Author of Day’s End Lullaby
http://www.dkvwriting4u.com
http://karenandrobyn.blogspot.com

This fun book is full of lively rhymes, clever illustrations, and engaging activities sure to be fun for all the kids in your class -- or out of it. I knew I was hooked when I found myself filling in the missing letters on the Complete Each Word activity.

Kathy Stemke, can I be in your class? Pretty please?

Margaret Fieland
Author/Educator
http://www.margaretfieland.com

Move and groove along with the whimsical characters of Moving Through All Seven Days as they slip, twirl, and glide you through the days of the week. An activities resource to help reinforce the learning process of spelling the days of the week is a welcome bonus. It provides an ingenious way of getting the children up from behind their desks to experience learning through movement.

Children’s author, Kathy Ann Stemke brilliantly blends lyrical rhyme and the learning process in a fun and educational twist. Along with the vibrant illustrations created by Tony Glisson, Moving Through All Seven Days is a must have for preschool and kindergarten classrooms and no home library would be complete without it.

Reviewed by author, Donna M. McDine, for the National Writing for Children Center.
Marketing Manager at Stories for Children Magazine
http://www.donnamcdine.com

Each rhyme is short, easy to learn, and fun. I teach Pre-k for the local school district. Our "teaching time" is so limited in Pre-k for scheduling reasons.
What caught my attention is that a teacher could quickly do a daily "story board" and the kids would GET it. At higher grade levels this material could be easily used in center stations for independent work that students would be interested in doing. WAY TO GO!

Versana Polidore
Thomas Gibbs Elementary School
Classroom teacher

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Teaching the Main Idea!

Many children think that the first line of a story or essay is the main idea. To help them understand that the main idea is why you are writing the story you can tell them to “think of a story as a meal.” It starts with an appetizer whose job it is to entice the reader to continue. It’s followed by the side dishes which adds a variety of flavors to the story-the additional information to make it fuller. The main dish is the meat of the meal or the main focus, the main idea. Dessert is the final part of the meal where the story winds down to a conclusion.

What we are looking for in a main idea of a story is simply the main course of the dinner, the “meat.” A good way for children to start this process is by putting things in categories such as Things you Wear, Colors, Fruits, Vegetables, etc. Talk about how they are all clothing, food, but the broad term or main idea is that they are all vegetables, things you wear. Next, go into finding the actual main idea of stories. Start with non-fiction books, because they are much easier. Then, go into fiction stories.

Another great teaching tool to finding the main idea of a paragraph is to use the idea of a helping hand. Children can trace their own hand. The main idea goes on the palm. The topic sentence is written on the thumb. Four other details are written on the fingers. For the older students have them draw the wrist and a "bracelet" which has a summary sentence on it.

A topic sentence should set forth the main idea and purpose (implied or direct) of the paragraph. Here are a couple of games that will help children practice finding the topic sentence.

GUESS THE TOPIC!

Write a paragraph that doesn't have a topic sentence and have the child guess the topic. Example: You write with them. Sometimes they have erasers on the end. You can get them in different colors. When they guess pencils, ask them if it would have been easier to start the paragraph with, "I love pencils?"

TOPIC SENTENCE MATCH UP!

Understanding the main idea of a paragraph can be tough for beginning readers. Here's an exercise you can do to help them see the forest through the trees.
Write each topic sentence on a separate index card.

Topic: Dogs are loyal animals.
Topic: I love the summer.
Topic: Chocolate isn't good for you.

Write each detail on a separate index card.

Detail: They are always waiting for their owners to come home.
Detail: They want to sit with you.
Detail: There are a lot of fun things to do, like swimming and eating hamburgers.
Detail: We go on vacation.
Detail: Every time I eat it, I get a stomachache.
Detail: It's not good for my teeth.

Mix them all up, turn them face up, and match up a topic with two details.

Workbooks to practice finding the main idea:

“Main Ideas & Summarizing: 35 Reading Passages for Comprehension” by Linda Ward Beech
“Summarizing, Grades 1 to 2: Focusing on Main Ideas and Details” by Renee Cummings

“Teaching the main idea is useful for students in online schools too.”

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15 KEYS TO UNLOCKING THE WORLD OF READING TO CHILDREN!

There's nothing quite like seeing a child's eyes light up with joy because he/she has finally read their first word. Having fun with language is the key you need to unlock the world of reading to your child. The following are tips for hooking kids on reading along with fun activities. Try them and see what works for you and your child.
1. Make reading a habit. Give your child lots of opportunities to read. Bring a book with you wherever you go. They can read in the car, or waiting in the doctor's office. Make a ritual of reading at bedtime.
2. Play a rhyming game with a puppet. Have the puppet say, "My name is Mark. Can you find words that rhyme with Mark?" If the answer is yes, jump up and down, and if the answer is no, squat down low. "Does park rhyme with Mark? Does ball rhyme with Mark?"
3. Trace and say letter sounds. Involving the senses of touch, sight, and speech is a powerful tool for learning letter sounds. Use a finger to trace a letter while saying the letter sound. Do this on a paper, in a sandbox, or on a plate filled with sugar.
4. Play sound matching games. Using a set of alphabet letters, have your child pick the letter that matches the sound you make. Start with five letters and add more letters when your child is ready. Visit http://educationtipstrt.blogspot.com for more phonics games.
5. Pick books that are the right difficulty level for your child. The aim is to give your child many successful reading experiences. Have fiction and non-fiction books available.
6. Have your child watch your lips to see how you make certain sounds. You can ask, "Can you see my tongue touch my teeth when I say (th)? Does it tickle your tongue?"
7. Play sight word concentration games. Make two sets of common sight words, and have them hunt for pairs. If they can read the word, it goes in their pile.
8. Point out words all around the town. (traffic signs, grocery signs, advertising signs)
9. Gently correct your young reader when the meaning of the story is lost..
10. Say silly tongue twisters, sing songs and say rhymes. This will help kids become sensitive to sounds in words.
11. While you read aloud, use musical instruments to create suspense, or a silly, happy or sad atmosphere. This can bring a story to life and keep your child engaged. You can even make simple shakers with beans or rice inside a can.
12. Create the atmosphere you find in the book. For example, use a poster board to build a rocket if the book is about outer space. When you read aloud, read with expression and proper phrasing.
13. Have the children act out what you read. If the character walks to the store, they should be able to walk in place as they reach a door and open it and grab some groceries. This should be fun and can help on those days it's raining out and their energy levels are high.
14. Use a prop bag to illustrate parts of the story. If you're reading, "Miss Spider's Tea Party," you might pull the following items out of the bag: rubber bugs, a tea cup, silk butterflies, or a handkerchief to wipe the spider's tears away.

15. Do a fun activity that relates to the book in some way. For instance, if the book is about a tall person, make your own stilts using metal cans. Punch two holes on either side of each can, near the bottom. Measure a piece of rope so it is the appropriate length for children. Thread one end of the rope into each hole and secure with a knot. To walk on stilts, children stand on the cans, holding the rope in their hands. (Verify that the edge of the can is not sharp, and add masking tape for extra protection.) If you read a book about lions or the circus, you can have your child jump through a hoop like a lion at the circus. This activity may be done indoors or outdoors. Add words of encouragement such as, "Come, my beautiful lions!" Continue raising the hoop, then alternate between high and low.
Keep reading fun! With activities like these you can inspire your child to practice every day. The more kids see and work with words, the more they are able to effortlessly decode them. Be patient and encourage them. This will give them the desire and confidence to continue to learn, and soon they will be hooked on reading.
“MOVEMENT AND RHYTHM” NEWSLETTER! By Kathy Stemke

It's finally done! The first issue is full of the latest information, activities, and games for the home or the classroom. This issue addresses topics like: "Why Use Movement to Teach?" "Musical Consonants in Action," and "Activities for Gross Motor Skills." Future newsletters will include book reviews and children’s author interviews. You'll be updated on educationtipster's upcoming events like the Virtual Book Tour and the FREE teacher teleseminars .

Just sign up on Kathy Stemke's blog:http://educationtipster.blogspot.com.
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